Follow The Drinking Gourd

Legend has it that "Follow The Drinking Gourd" was a code song that helped slaves escape by way of the Underground Railroad. The lyrics gave secret directions that were taught to the slaves by a one legged sailor named Peg Leg Joe. Recently, however, some historians have begun to question whether the story could be true. They believe it developed after slavery ended as a way to recall The Underground Railroad and honor the slaves who bravely escaped.

Whether it is true or not, it is a great story and it has become one of the most famous songs related to slavery and The Underground Railroad.

It is a ladle made out of a dried gourd which is a type of squash.

It was used in Africa and was used by slaves in America.

Some people call The Big Dipper constellation The Drinking Gourd.

If you find the two stars on the side of the ladle of The Big Dipper and imagine a line across the sky they point toward Polaris, the North Star, which is the last star on the handle of The Little Dipper. Slaves would use that as a way to make sure they were heading north as they escaped.

The legend is that Peg Leg Joe, a white abolitionist, would spend winters in the south getting hired at plantations as a handyman. After making friends with the slaves he would teach them this song which seemed like a harmless folk song but hidden in the lyrics of the song were directions for following the Underground Railroad.

Once he felt that they understood how to use the song as a map he would quit that job and go to a new plantation, get hired there and teach it to another group of slaves.

The following chart is from a webpage devoted to this song by Joel Bresler in which he explains the lyrics based on a version from 1928 by H.B. Parks, a folklorist from Texas

Em When the sun comes up and the first quail calls, Follow the drinking gourd. G D Em Bm The old man is a waitin' for to carry you to freedom, Em Bm Em Follow the drinking gourd. Chorus:

A Em Follow the drinking gourd, A Em Follow the drinking gourd, G D Em Bm For the old man is a waitin' for to carry you to freedom,

Em Bm Em Follow the drinking gourd. Em Now the river bank'll make a mighty good road, The dead trees will show you the way.

G D Em Bm Left foot, peg foot, travelin' on, Em Bm Em Follow the drinking gourd. Chorus: A Em Follow the drinking gourd, A Em Follow the drinking gourd, G D Em Bm For the old man is a waitin' for to carry you to freedom, Em Bm Em Follow the drinking gourd. Em Now the river ends between two hills, Follow the drinking gourd. G D Em Bm There's another river on the other side, Em Bm Em Follow the drinking gourd. Chorus:

A Em

Follow the drinking gourd, A Em Follow the drinking gourd, G D Em Bm For the old man is a waitin' for to carry you to freedom, Em Bm Em Follow the drinking gourd.